Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-04-22
OLYMPIA. WASHINGTON TER.
OLYMPIA. FRIDAY EVENING, APR. y. 1851
The D0g-in-the- Manager" Policy.

The Dog-in-the- Manager" Policy.
1t seems difficult of belief that any
of our citizens should, even if they are
devoid of enterprise themselves, en-
deavor to discourage the efforts OF
others to develop business from re-
little well-dirccted energy. Still it is
SO, and an instance in point was af-
forded only few days ago. The Sis
ter Superioress having the construc-
ton of hospital well under way, has
been told several times within the past
few weeks by prominent citizens that
the enterprise will be attended by in.
evitable failure, SO far as pecuniary
profits are concerned, and that much
better site might have been chosen at
some other point on the Sound
While names were not given by the
sister, she declares them to be men OF
some standing in the community and
interested in the welfare of the city.
What satanic i'nrn1sn ;.rrole ."Un
to seek to discourage laudable endeav-
or to promote the public welfare, is
beyond mortal comprehension. If pub
lie interests are not respected, one
would suppose that the selfish instinct
would impel men to keep their lips
closed, especially when the expression
of their opinions may discourage and
hinder, but not check, the progress
that is inevitable. 1t can only be &C.
counted for on the hypothesis that the
moss has grown SO long on the backs
of some of our people that it has af-
fected the mental faculties, and created
a morbid feeling of discomfort that
must find expression on all occasions.
We have more than our share of
croakers. They have stood in the way
Of progress in the past, and with what
result We well know, when one of our
Old-time citizens, who has invested his
means by the tens of thousands else
where, declared the other day that he
was actually driven from Olympia by
the dog-in-the-manger" disposition
of many of our representative men.
Every proposition he had made for de-
veloping business had been vigorously
opposed by portion Of the commun-
ity, until he had settled up his affairs
and moved to more congenial chimes.
This is, alas! too true. There are
too many Donaughts standing on the
street corners predicting ruin, and
curling the lip with scorn whenever
any enterprise is suggested that will
relieve stagnation of business. Is it
any wonder that Olympia has been
under cloud? Is it a matter of sur
prise that she has not risen above the
murky atmosphere of doubt, with this
heavy incubus olutching with the
power of an octopus and holding her
down beneath those currents of pros
perity that are so eagerly sought by
rival communities?
Now we hold that no city ON the
Sound has had, and still has, better
prospects of thrifty and steady devel-
opment than our own beautiful Olym-
pia. She has advantages possessed by
no other site on the Sound. She has
a large tract of country that might
have been made tributary, had the
proper degree of energy been applied
at the right time. She still has an
even opportunity to compete with her
progressive neighbors, but it will, I'M
doubleday, if neglected, be less in the
future. We must not only keep
trade, but develop it. How can this
be done? By reaching out for it. By
meeting competition, that is as inevi-
table as that the laws of trade are con-
trolled entirely by circumstances. As
water seeks its level, so will business
gravitate to points where the best mar
ket is maintained. We should create
q demand for local products, and en-
courage their production; we should
stimulate enterprise in every branch
of industrial life; we should be pre-
pared to supply every article of neces-
sity at bedrock prices, and in any
reasonable quantity; we should stop
croaking, andft possible begin crow
ing; we shdSld ehdeavor to take full
advantage q ar the benefits with
which Nature and Natures God have so
bounteously. endowed us, and when
this is done our GROWERS will probably
emigrate to Hardscrabble, or some
other jumping-of-place, and ply their
arts on less enterprising people.